THE OAT CEOP. 145 



of oats as a crop unsatisfactory, and far less remunera- 

 tive than barley, to which many of these soils are well 

 adapted. The clays of the London basin of the weald 

 and gault formations in Surrey, Kent, and Sussex and of 

 the Oolite (Oxford, Bradford, and Kimmeridge) and Lias 

 formations in Oxford, Somerset, Gloucester, and North- 

 amptonshire, are examples of the unfavourable class of 

 strong soils ; while the chalk soils generally, and the detrital 

 soils of the same formation throughout the entire range 

 from the south coast of Sussex, Hampshire, and Dorset- 

 shire, to the north-east coast of Yorkshire the sandy soils 

 of Norfolk and Suffolk the soils of the green-sand and 

 the Hastings sand formation in Surrey, Sussex, Kent, and 

 Bedfordshire, and those of the new red sandstone, so 

 largely distributed through the midland counties may all 

 be looked upon as representatives of the lighter class of 

 soils, which are more or less unsuitable to the require- 

 ments and habits of the oat plant. 



Where, however, these light and strong soils come in 

 contact, their mixture always forms a fertile soil, well 

 adapted for oats as for other crops. In such soils the cli- 

 mate is the governing condition ; if this be favourable, then 

 the suitability of the soil for oats is established; if unfa- 

 vourable, its powers of fertility are counteracted, and oats 

 cannot be so successfully grown. Although a certain amount 

 of moisture in the soil and in the atmosphere is necessary 

 for the requirements of the oat, still it will not thrive any 

 better than the other cereals in a wet soil ; and in regard 

 to its habit of growth, it more resembles the wheat than 

 the barley plant, as it sends down its roots deep into the 

 subsoil in search of its necessary food. Consequently, the 

 same conditions are desirable in the preparation of the 

 land as have been detailed for wheat that the soil be 

 freed from any surplus (stagnant) water, and that it be 

 tilled as deeply as possible. 



